Rahul accepts split in Cong ranks; hits out at Modi

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday directly acknowledged that there was confusion amidst the party ranks, with youth advising senior leaders to “work collectively” and “refrain from publicly questioning party leadership.”

When asked about it, Gandhi said, “It is an old party, everyone has opinion of his own.”

While on a visit to his Lok Sabha constituency Amethi, Gandhi told reporters that “there are multiple voices in the Congress party” and all these voices will bring solutions to it. “There are always these types of tensions and we will deal with it,” he said when asked to comment on the infighting in the party after it suffered a rout in the Lok Sabha elections.

This past week, more than 16 AICC secretaries had got together declaring their support for Rahul Gandhi in the face of growing voices of dissent in the party.

Gandhi’s statements also come on a day when four young Congress Secretaries met party General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi to convey their concerns over senior leaders publicly criticising Rahul Gandhi. Dwivedi an AICC general Secretary in-charge of organisation attempted to downplay the “tension” saying it would be dealt with.

AICC Secretaries Harish Chowdhary, Naseeb Singh, Prakash Joshi and Shakeel Ahmed Khan had a meeting with Dwivedi and conveyed their views. Sources claimed that they also handed over a letter addressed to senior leaders signed by the secretaries.

Senior leaders Digvijaya Singh had questioned Vice President Rahul Gandhi’s lack of media visibility contributing to the Congress’ loss in the war of perception

On Wednesday, after one such brainstorming session of secretaries, AICC Secretary Shakeel Ahmed Khan who is one among this group of secretaries speaking to Business Standard said, “All of us feel that opinions should be voiced within the party forum – there is the Congress Working Committee or CWC and also the party leadership that can be approached. There has to be a consciousness that we need to work collectively and unitedly.”

“Instead of indulging in a blame game, we should train our energies to perform the role of a constructive Opposition and work collectively to expose the new BJP-led government,” said Khan.

Also on Thursday, Rahul directly attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he was “playing drums”in Japan while people suffered from power crisis and soaring vegetable prices back at home.

“They had made big promises but where is the result? They might have forgotten so let me remind them. They said they will change the country, bring down prices, reduce corruption. 100 days are over. At least begin working now. People say they have not even started working. The PM is playing drums in Japan while there is no electricity here and prices are rising.”